yesterday peter hart conducted a focus group with 12 republican voters in virginia a swing state that president obama carried in 2008. participants were asked what they thought about president obama and the field of republican presidential candidates. the event also featured analysis of the focus group by political reporters from "the new york times," "the wall street journal," "chicago tribune," cnn

and nbc. this is two and a half hours. >> okay. welcome deborah, you set? [inaudible] [laughter] [inaudible conversations] >> there you go. thank you very, very much. welcome, everybody. my name is peter hart, and thank you for coming tonight in tonight's focus group. this is one of the focus groups that we are doing in the 2012 election it's been done for the annenberg public policy center at the university of pennsylvania, and as i told you, c-span is covering, and in addition to c-span, we have a number of reporters who are behind a one-way mirror who are also covering it. so it is our chance to sort talk

about the republican primary. everybody here raise your hand all republican primary voters, correct? so what i'd like to do is go around the room very quickly just introduce yourself if you can give me your first name, tell me what you'd do that would be a great start. welcome. >> preparation and also bookkeeper. >> okay. a great. >> [inaudible] marketing. >> my name is christine and i may contractor. >> i'm a flight attendant. >> my name is jonathan and i am a vice president for special events. >> my name is chris and byman i.t. consultant in sales. >> and a part-time retail merchandiser. >> tony and i am a retired bookkeeper. >> tony, a bookkeeper. [laughter] >> great on all the economic

issues. >> i am a mom of 4 a.m. to work a few hours a week at a job. >> okay. agreed. >> [inaudible] >> mining is likely by may and educational administrator and independent contractor. >> thank you very much. let me ask soothe a question. why are you a republican? >> i'm not a republican. >> secure and independent? but to vote in the republican primary? >> this time, yes. >> let me ask tony what makes you a republican? why are you a republican? >> mine more of an independent republican. i'm not really sure, i guess because i like the candidates better, what they stand for. >> how about yourself? >> i am a republican because the

traditional values and i definitely a conservative, also i wish they were more conservative. they seem to be straying. >> michael, how about yourself? for a republican. >> i grew up in a democratic family but i think i changed over the years into more of a conservative type person and more of the republican conservative values. >> jonathan, how about yourself? >> some of the values i see on the republican side seem to be more along with my thinking. >> i agree with the family value punishment, guns. >> there are some views independent. >> were you raised in virginia? >> no, chicago. >> got it. christine? >> i tend to focus more on

[inaudible] and enable citizens to create their own jobs. >> deborah? >> my dad owned a company so is more geared towards business private industry of the government controlling things. >> how many of you would say i identify with the tea party movement? okay, we've got been -- laurel and chuck. and tony, do you identify with the tea party at all? you do, and christine? >> somewhat. >> okay. good. let me start, if i could come and just hand out a quick card. do we have occurred here and i'm going to put it up also. there were a series of ideas and

believes that the republican party has. put your name of the top everybody should have a pencil. if you find yourself at odds with any of these -- if you find yourself at odds with any of these, just put a check mark next to it. but if you say sir, i agree with all of these, then you can put down none at the bottom or just leave it blank. in other words, are you at odds with any of these issues in the beliefs, values-year-old from the republican party? anybody take a look and say no i find myself in the difference on one of these. >> anybody. here. we've got seven different

positions. how many think i agree with all seven positions? dalia space chuck agrees, tony agrees. anybody else? laurel agrees. good. anybody else? >> i just don't know -- i don't know much about the dodd-frank administration, so i just don't know what to agree or disagree. otherwise yeah. >> you find yourself in this agreement on any of these? >> a clarification, amnesty immigrants of black or white or just basically no amnesty of any type? >> i think their position tends to be a republican pretty strict on that. anybody else? chris, are you at odds with some of these positions? >> in thinking about it a little bit longer, no, not really. >> anybody else -- tina, are you at odds with any of these positions? >> amnesty for illegal immigrants. >> anybody else on the

immigration issue? so we have three people, deborah, christine and t-note. okay. anything else people find that they are at odds with basic faults within the republicans' cracks okay. >> i'm at odds with a gun lolls a little bit. >> okay. >> not everything but just certain -- >> anybody else? so we have a couple on that. but for most of the others where there is retial obamacare or tax increases were their position on abortion or same-sex marriages you are all in agreement on those. >> i'm in turmoil because i'm benefiting as has happened with the health care. >> you're turmoil is what? >> i and benefitting from ad right now, so it's hard for me to say no for the baby out with the bathwater.

>> anybody else agree with that? >> let me move on to the line going to try to move quickly on some of this. tiffin, let's go to the next sheet. here are some objectives in looking at the 2012 election and what i am interested is to find out from you how high a priority is this as far as you are concerned where it is a very high purity. i want to see this happen. one means it is a low priority, and again, i've got six different things appear kaj put your name up at the top and if you could just put down the number one to ten. you can choose any number you want and you can do it obviously repeat a number obviously on how you are feeling.

and these are the republican majority and the united states senate to deutsch heating barack obama to the strong conservative on social issues like gay rights and abortion. tennis the highest and one is the lowest. thank you. >> okay. everybody there? okay. let me just see one thing. how many elected a president who

supports the goals of the tea party movement would put themselves at nine or ten on that list? that's something i really care about. so, we've got laurel and tina. how many have eight? >> excuse me. >> okay. ten. i'm sorry. >> okay. anybody else? eight. as we have a couple more. we have five at eight, nine or ten. how about defeating barack obama. khamenei had ten? i've got one, two, three, four. how many people had nine? one, two. eight? to others. how many had five or less? to people. okay. good. agreed. and the last thing is electing a president who is a strong conservative on social issues like abortion, how many had an eight, nine or ten on that?

one, two, three, four, five. great. that gives me a sense i just want to do a broad sort of sense and the consensus of the room on the various issues, a good place to start. you can pass up the yellow and blue and sort of change what we are talking about. let me flip to another thing which is to ask you for a word or phrase to describe how your feeling about america. give me a word or phrase to describe how do were feeling about america. sue, a word or phrase how you were feeling about america. >> read about our economy. >> word or phrase, chris, about the way things are going in america. >> frustrated. >> for st. good. deborah? >> unsettled. >> ben? >> misguided. >> michael?

>> transitioning. >> speed? tina? >> on edge. >> tony. >> worried. >> the economy. >> thank you. >> education, losing control. >> jonathan? >> out of touch. >> you mean the president? we will talk about this. and tell me something. one of the things i've been asking in the polls i've been doing is do you think america is going through hard times now for which it does periodically or the start of a downward decline for the country? how many people say i think this is the start of a downward decline? we are going around one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. eight of 12. why, ben?

>> i think it is the case of just we are not sure where we should be heading. a leader that isn't taking the reins pointing us in the proper direction. >> good. michael? >> i thought i am more along the lines of optimistic. we are not just starting it now. we are in a downward trend for a little while now but i am optimistic that hopefully when the next election we can start moving in the right direction. >> chuck? >> i think there's too many people on this come on the government take, and i'm afraid the balance is already tipped to and when the balance is already tipped they are going to be voting for. >> globalization to the extreme but when the times change its a

real big picture that i have. >> i'm not really sure if the downward trend is one of the time periods. it may be because my age i haven't been around that long to see the light think it could go either way. >> what are you thinking? >> the global economy is up there and foreign policy worries me that we are too will link to spend money year after year after year. >> let me ask you a slightly different question. >> and i was ready for this one. [laughter] >> to go for it. >> i'm worried but i'm an optimist.

i think if we look to the history of the united states from the time it was formed we will see that it goes up, it goes down, it goes up, it goes down. >> so chris, i will put it to you and the question slightly different what is the one thing that you are thinking today that you thought he would never say or think about in terms of america? i'm getting a lot of feedback. if we could cut that down the would be great. what is the one thing where you say i thought i would never say this about america but ibm now. >> i don't know if i've had much time to have those thoughts, but i would say i am no longer or hopeful i think things are going to get better before they get substantially worse. >> christine?

>> same question? >> same question. >> i think that citizens are having to become more reliant on government coming and i think that is ... i think that's what the president wants. >> deborah, what is the thing that you are thinking about that you never thought you would say about america? >> that i would be concerned about wages in the future -- >> how many of you think -- raise your hand -- that the next generation will not be better off in this generation. how many say? everybody around the table. we've got an absolute. why do you feel that way, laurel? >> i don't think they want to be better. that goes with obama giving handouts, and they have no reason. >> okay. ben? >> somewhat on that point it's almost like the deck is already stacked against them.

we are taking the train so far off the track it may be impossible to put it back. >> next generation. >> the change, the younger generation things things will be handed to them and they don't have to work as much as the older generation and i think that's the bailouts, the bank bailouts and things concerned about. >> chuck, next generation and this generation. >> we don't produce much anymore. we just don't produce anything. and with the government handing everything out, it won't instill in addition or goals the next generation just will not have that in them? >> tell me personally the biggest challenge each of you are facing what is the challenge

in terms of their own lives, what are the things you worry that you will be able to overcome? >> my kids are reaching college age and my oldest is just now going to college and we are just -- on crashing for a living. i'm trying to find a job and i always thought i would be able to get a job and relatively quickly and of a sudden weeks have turned into months have turned into years. >> deborah? >> concerned about retirement, and concerned about increasing expenses. my health care went up $40 a week just in the last two months. so i'm looking for a part-time job just to compensate for that. >> chris? >> i think it comes down to money. my parents aren't going to be

able to retire when they thought they would. i'm going to have to support them and my kids are going to have to probably do the same for me one day. >> sue? >> retirement. my husband and buyer with retired, and we are just worried that what we have put away isn't going to be there as long as we need it to be. >> right now finances. i just moved here and it's very expensive. it's scary and the way the economy is. and retirement i have no children so they won't be able to support me. par security and health care. >> anybody else on to say anything in terms of the challenge of the way that you're looking at things? jonathan? >> over the last six months dealing with this, the health care system in america is pretty abhorrent. i'm scared to death of the debt we are building.

we are just throwing money away dhaka biosecurity we won't have social security for some generation are some age group won't have it, and they are going to have tremendous, tremendous debt that may be impossible to pay off. >> anybody else want to -- >> i agree about social security. i've been working since 15 and there may be nothing there. >> have anything nothing? okay i'm going to do a series of what i call rapid fire. we are going to move just very quickly through a lot of subjects and to get your quick point of view. the biggest disappointment with president obama. the biggest disappointment? tony. >> health care. >> biggest disappointment, sue? >> lack of leadership?

>> ben? >> promises unfulfilled. >> christine? >> creation. >> laurel? >> christianity. >> when using christianity, you mean? >> i think that he wants to take and godly trust away from our country. >> michael? >> economy. >> anybody else? >> i knew what he was all about, so disciplined, but the fear that he's taking care of his cronies that is a big disappointment. i knew what we were going to get when we got him, but he's really just paying back. >> anybody else? >> okay. biggest surprise of the biggest surprise about president obama? positive, neutral, negative? >> there was quick to be

openness. maybe his new sense of foreign policy. >> and i don't care about killing saddam hussein and getting, you know, bin laden. he has no sense. he had a deal with israel who is really the only space country that america can feel positive dealing with over there. >> others? biggest supplies? >> his ability to do talk shows. >> okay. [laughter] how do you mean? how good or how bad? >> how lofton. [laughter] >> the way that he handled immigration. it wasn't really presented during -- before he was elected he made it seem more like he was going to help the illegal immigrants and it seems like there's been more of these occasions this year. >> and you don't agree with that? >> i don't. i don't have one blanket view

but i think the difference it was handled individually instead of just going out for a few days and taking of everybody who was a legal. >> i don't think the line surprised. >> okay. one thing he deserves credit for? maybe a republican but i will give him credit for this. what have you got? >> i have three kids college-age and a couple of them are past the age 21 also from our perspective 26 to be able to keep our kids and health care. estimate how many have benefited from the hepting of the age? a couple people. okay. good. >> give him credit for -- yes, ben? >> i give him in credit and 08 for the election turnout.

>> would you give him credit for in terms of the presidency, xu? >> i'm trying not to make eye contact with you right now. [laughter] >> anybody else. >> i've got 12 republicans around the table. i've got michael giving him credit, ben is really about the election. chris? >> i give him credit for putting all his chips on the table with the health care plan. it didn't seem like it was going to go through and he fought for it. >> okay. anybody else? give him credit for something. anything? >> presenting some compromises. >> presenting some compromises. okay. and do me a favor. on your piece of paper write down one image that sticks in your mind from the obama

presidency. one image that sticks in your mind. >> okay. what is your image? >> he was unable to take five years of almost what compelled me even during the election and a sort of translate that into practice and get things done. >> okay. image, tony. >> i think of him as a puppet. >> image, sue?

>> i have to look at him personally. i think he's a good family man and that means a lot to me. >> the image that comes to you is that family. bertino? >> the image of the presidency would be insurance became unaffordable for my family. >> chris? >> the image is occupy wall street. >> jonathan? >> such a poor economy and he came in talking about all this change and i haven't seen it. >> anybody else? image that stands out in your mind. >> running the country come socialism. >> yeah. i guess what i was hoping for is sort of a visual image that came to your mind -- >> playing basketball. >> okay. >> to hear his wife getting out of the church and going into the church on inauguration.

he had a smooth appearance. >> he did quit smoking which is good. >> okay. let me change and say rapid fire. republican leadership has taken over the house representatives. satisfied, not satisfied. have they lived up to your expectations or not? how many say they've lived up to my expectations? how many say they have not lived up to my expectations? many people don't know. how many say they haven't lived up to my expectations? hands up so i can see it. i've got one, too, three, four, five, six. why not, jonathan? >> because they have to do more compromising on certain issues. they seem to be very bold headed. the way the presidency is when he has an issue he has to deal

with, they have to do more. if you look what happened when newton cannon in '93, she was working with clinton, the economy was a lot better. >> so, -- >> they do have to work together. there is a lot of give and take. >> okay. christine. >> i think a lot of them if you view them as individuals they are trying to keep their jobs as well, and the decisions they make in the public reflect whether or not they keep their jobs long term. >> ben, disappointment? >> a lot of stalemate going on. nothing is getting done. >> chuck? >> they cave and compromise too much. ..

>> don't believe what everybody says who is being elected. >> okay. >> tony, what's your piece of advice for the republicans? >> remember why you were legislated. >> okay. rene? >> just keep listening. >> okay. deborah? >> just stand firm. i don't feel the parties are as close as they used to be. they are not able to compromise. i see them being more

socialistic. it's hard for the groups to come together. it's like oil and water. >> uh-huh. so how do we govern? >> you asked me my thoughts on america, and i said unsettled. i'm concerned about my children. what's happening is changing so quickly, it's hard to assess or use history to determine the next move. >> if i told you that the republican leadership sent me down here, what piece of advice do i take back to them, chuck? >> don't compromise your values or you lose your base. >> okay. ben agrees with that? how many say i agree with chuck? so, so how will you going to get -- how are you going to get con consensus between republican and democrats, or don't you worry about it? >> i think the republican party needs to unify themselves before they can try to work compromises

out with the democratic party. >> but is it important to get consensus or not that important? >> we're becoming more polarized. >> and is that good or bad? >> that's bad. >> that's bad, but you want to stick to their point of view? >> absolutely. >> how do you do anything but end up in polarization? >> well, the other choice is we're going to go off the cliff into socialism if we don't stick to our guns. >> okay. >> we already entered that slippery slide. >> anybody else? >> i agree with chuck. i really do. >> yeah. >> you have to stand for something. a lot of them give in. i'm not in politics, so i don't know what the answer is, but i do agree with you. >> probably the answer is get rid of the career politicians because they will never make the decisions they need to make to

make this country great again as long as they are trying to protect their next reelection. >> okay. i got a proposal for the table. ready? okay. here's my proposal. whether there are a republican or democrat, if they have been in over 15 years, i will vote them out in 2012. how many will agree to my proposal? in other words, i don't know who your representatives are, ect., but every representative over 15 years, you have a chance to vote them out. how many would say i'd buy into that proposal? one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. [inaudible conversations] >> okay. a little more than half the group. okay. one thing i've heard talked about quite a bit here is immigration. what's your point of view on immigration? what needs to be done? go around the room.

just real -- a short, quick burst on your feelings about immigration. >> secure our borders. >> okay. >> that means? >> that means to protect our country. >> how about the people who are already here that are illegal aliens? >> i may be in favor if they have been here for such a long period of time, but recent imgrants, i would say no. >> okay. yeah? >> definitely ruining our economy. talk about up employment, they are doing jobs that need to be -- >> okay. tell me what you would do? would you -- a plan -- how many know about what alabama has been doing in terms of illegal immigration? >> they should be exported. >> exported. okay, that's a good way to put it. you're on the export side?

>> absolutely. >> all of them? >> all of them. >> good. >> i wouldn't go that far, but we have to make sure there is a process and make sure that that's followed through on -- it's going to pay off in the long run. >> so, we should get as many out of the country as possible? >> yes. >> okay. tee that? -- tina? >> i think the borders now should be secured, but with the people already here, that they should be looked at individually. there's some i believe are here and are trying to live an american life, so on the individual basis, if they are working and they have families, why would we want to tear apart a family? >> okay. good. tony? >> boardsers have to be secured first, but i think we have to remember what the word "legal" and "illegal" means. we keep giving illegals

benefits. >> are you closer to chuck or tina? >> chuck. it's not reasonable that we can send them all home, but we have to find a way for those who started families here and are into the secondary generations. >> sure. >> a different direction. we have to be able to bring in workers legally for a short term. >> uh-huh. >> i was in florida, got a tour of a blueberry farm. they need workers to come in pick. we don't have people in our country who will work like that, so we need to bring people in, let them do the work that they want to do. they also pay into our social security system, and they get no benefit from p it. >> chris? >> secure borders, and then develop a plan to have a penalty for those already living here. >> for the ones living here who

are illegal creating crime, make sure they are doing the time. >> send them home. >> laura? >> i agree, i agree with that statement. >> there's too many people in america -- >> we do need to secure. we can't afford to pay for our own people. >> chuck says export. tina says do it individually. you can't afford to send everybody back or you shouldn't. who do you find yourself closer to? >> chuck. >> okay. christine? >> it's a social issue. as far as deportation, you can't treat them like a number on a piece of paper. they are human beings, and at the end of the day in order to make the situation not fall on america, we have to hold the country responsible for their leaving financially and then maybe the other countries secure borders with us. >> deborah?

>> our economy couldn't survive exporting all of them right now, so we have to find a way to legalize the ones here. >> ben? >> securing the borders. in regards to chuck's position, i agree; however, in a way to determine who, you know, who is quickly uprooted, i'd start with those on the government dome. start at the bottom, and somebody is producing, a successful individual here in the nation -- >> and write down if you feel there's a candidate or candidates that you find yourself in particular agreement or disagreement on the issue of immigration. if you don't know any of their positions, that's equally fine. but if there's a candidate on the issue of immigration that you find yourself particularly close to or particularly in opposition to, write it down, will you? on your piece of paper? on the area of immigration and

immigration only, if there's a candidate that you find yourself in alignment with, write down their names. okay. anybody write down a name of somebody they agree with on immigration? i got one person, two people, three people, anybody else? you're in agreement with? >> i'm a realist, so newt gingrich. >> okay, okay. tina? >> same, newt gingrich. >> okay. >> newt gingrich. romney, i read a few things, and he's not really firm. >> okay. and newt, does he come close to your point of view? >> yes. yes, he really does. >> and say i saw sort of tina and chuck in the opposite polls, and they both say it's newt. [laughter] so, you know, tell me what's going on. >> the family, yes, i mean, yes. certain numbers of them have to stay. >> okay. >> and as a nation, we can't

export everybody, but illegal is illegal, and i would love to elaborate on what it's done to our end of the economy. you know, you don't think people would pick blueberries 1234 well, at the right price, there's pickers, but if they do it for $5 an hour, that will never pay the $20 they need to raise a family at the lower level, and that's what happened to the economy. they are doing jobs for $20 an hour that should be paid $50 to just survive, and as long as they are doing them for that -- i'm elaborating, but -- [laughter] >> okay. i just have to share your air time. [laughter] okay. >> not the chuck show? >> it's not the chuck show. [laughter] we like chuck though. okay. good. here we go. lightning round. very, very quick. i'll read you the names of

various people, and i want you to give me a word or phrase to describe your feelings about the person. so if i were to say laura bush, don't say former first lady. i know she is. i want to know what your feelings are. it's going to be what are your feelings towards each of the people, a word or phrase, very, very quickly. top of the mind. here we go. president obama? >> weak. >> christine? >> she stole me. >> okay. >> don't have one. >> no? >> no. >> toni? real quick. come on. this is not hard. >> somebody i'd hang out with, but not for president. >> okay. michael? >> athletic. >> athletic. ben? >> arrogant. >> uncaring.

>> chuck? >> evil. >> evil. who else? tina? >> liar. >> what? >> liar. >> that's better. >> out of touch. >> okay. out of touch. here we go. gear us up. rick perry. word or phrase. >> not ready for it. >> sue? >> have not paid attention to him. >> rick perry, michael? >> con confused. >> unaware. >> respectable. >> deborah? >> old school. >> john? >> too out of touch. >> laura? >> i'm uncertain. >> uncertain. >> okay. good. john huntsman. toni? >> i don't know enough about him. >> i looked him up. i like him. [laughter] >> he needs a pr manager. he's got if you look at the background, but nobody knows who he is. >> ben? >> handle china. >> anybody else have a point of

view on john huntsman? no point of view. okay. herman cain, word or phrase. quick. >> i would say trouble. >> word or phrase, deborah? >> needs a better approach. >> relates to all the people. >> good businessman. >> sue? >> disappointing now. >> john? >> finished. [laughter] >> chris? >> no chance. >> laura? >> three months ago, a candidate. >> outside the beltway. >> maybe? >> unelectable. >> okay. chris christie. >> who? >> chris chris christie. word or phrase. >> heavy weight. >> wish he was running. >> i stopped thinking about him, i'm sorry.

>> okay. >> mitt romney. >> i like him. >> describe your feelings. >> decent character. >> okay. tina? >> undecided. >> okay. rene? >> identifiable, can relate. >> chuck, word or phrase? >> oh, i like him. i like how he speaks out. says what he needs to say. >> michael? >> charismatic. >> ben? >> wishy washy. >> deborah? >> manufactured. >> vanilla. >> laura? >> john? >> innovative businessman. >> okay. chris? >> unimpressed. >> unimpressed. what was your word? >> wishy washy. >> you were? >> manufactured. >> what does manufactured mean? >> he's made -- just a

politician, taken all of the things that we care about and said that's what he is. >> okay, okay. ron paul? chuck? word or phrase. >> all the wall sometimes. >> michael, word or phrase. >> fun to listen to. >> ron paul, johnathan? >> 20 years ago would have been better. >> chris? >> just crazy enough it might work. >> great ideas. >> sue? >> he keeps trying. >> okay. christine? >> no content. >> okay. no content. okay. good. hillary clinton? >> crazy. >> tina? >> a businesswoman. >> deborah? >> a contender. >> a contender. christine? >> a second chance for her husband. >> looking out for herself. >> sue? >> she scares me.

>> okay. good. newt gingrich? >> i love him. [laughter] >> like my dad. like my dad, good. tina? >> very intelligent. >> ben? >> he's same old ball game. >> same old ball game. beb ray? >> careless and combustible. >> oh. frying to -- she's trying to give you a high five. playing the game well. >> i think he's all surfaced. >> uh-huh. when you say "all surfaced," you mean? >> i agree with what ben stated. i think that he's behaving himself in this campaign right now and saying what he's supposed to. >> okay. good. >> i think he stands firm in his beliefs. >> sue? >> best politician of the group, but i don't think he's a moral

person. >> smartest one running. >> chuck? >> experienced. get the job done. >> john? >> smart, but manufactured. >> okay. rick santorum. who knows him? >> ben. i like him, but not a chance. >> john? >> again, he's good, but he's -- people don't know enough about him. he needs a pr guy. >> okay. michele bachmann? >> i'd vote for her right now. >> tina, word or phrase to describe your feelings. >> don't worry. [laughter] i was trying not to make eye contact with you. >> tough work. what do you have for me, tina? >> a possibility. >> toni? >> a slight possibility. >> okay. what are your feelings?

>> i felt more strongly about her in the beginning when they first starts campaigning than i do now. >> credible. >> i don't trust her. >> doesn't trust her. okay. deborah? >> misaligned. >> misaligned. ben? >> i think she's firm. i think she's great. >> okay. good, christine? >> i agree with toni after she started having all of that plastic surgery on her face. she's scarry to me now. >> okay. >> i think she's a contender. >> a contender. michael says? >> i think she's reached ore peak on the down slide. >> i'll have you write something on your pad, and what i'd like to know is if you think about the candidates running in 2012 on the republican side, compared to other years like 2008 and scene of this 1996, other years before, do you think the overall

field of candidates running is a strong field of candidates, and average field of candidates, or a weak field of candidates? write down your answer. strong, average, or weak? just as you see the whole field of candidates. >> okay. everybody write it down? how many said it's a strong field of candidates? let's see the hands up high. i have three saying it's a strong field. how many say it is a weak field? i've got one, two, three, four. okay. it's strong field because? >> the diversity. >> diversity. strong field because? >> diversity. >> okay. weak field because? >> just a lot of people i don't think are electable. >> okay.

weak field because, chuck? >> most are marsh mellows. >> okay. anybody else? who said weak? yeah, chris? >> if you have two quarterbacks, you have none. there's still seven people in the debate. >> tina, weak because? >> i don't think that anybody has a strong -- i thought, well, i mean, they -- they have issues, i mean, like with herman cain. [laughter] it's kind of embarrassing that that's one of the candidates. >> yeah. okay. anybody else? >> i put above average. >> yeah. >> because they could be better. >> let's go to the handouts. okay. here's the field, and take one, pass the rest around. can i give you these? get them out of my way. thanks.

and here's what i want you to do, put your name up at the top. if the election were today, who would you vote for, and if you said i'm undecided, i know you're undecided, and you don't have to vote for a candidate, but say i'm completely undecided, but if you have a choice, put down who your choice is, okay? just put an "x" next to your choice. okay. everybody done it? let's go around the table, get your choice, and why you're for that person. let's start. >> mitt romney. i think he's electable, the type of person that could beat president obama in the next election. i think he has money in his coffers. i think he was enough support throughout the various primaries

coming up that he can win. >> okay. chuck? >> newt gingrich because he will speak his mind even if it's not what the polls say he showrld say. >> rene? >> michele bachmann with the two party movement and what that stands for and her involvement and she stands firm. >> all right. good. tina? >> newt gingrich. >> okay. because? >> i think that he would annihilate obama in a debate. >> oh, yes. >> he knows his facts. >> okay, good. toni? >> yeah, newt. i want to hear him in a debate. >> yes. >> i think he's very strong. >> okay, good. sue? >> john huntsman because i feel he's got a wonderful balance of

business and politics. he's worked for four presidents, china, oh, my gosh, ambassador to china, and that's important to the nation. >> let me understand one thing, am i right we talked to you a couple days ago, you were undecided. >> yes. >> in the last couple days, and is that true also of toni? were you undecided a couple days ago? >> yes, i think i was. >> right. >> i'm undecided, there's too many people. i know when we're down to two people. >> how many say -- well, let me go around, and then the next question. chris? >> ron paul. >> okay. >> and the reason? >> because i think his plans are scaling back the government and giving more rights to the states and putting it on the population is a valid plan. >> mitt romney. he's electable, got money in his pocket, and he is a problem

solver like he did the olympics years ago and created a lot of businesses for america. >> i'm undecided. >> okay. okay. good. christine? >> perry. he's pro-business, and 37% of all the jobs creates in america since 2009 were created in the state of texas. >> okay. good. deborah? >> mitt romney because of the family values he represents, because of the position he remits as far as what republicans are concerned about, and he's smart and electable. >> uh-huh. ben? >> i still stand by herman cain. >> okay. >> i think he's a wonderful businessman. he's outside the box. he's not part of the beltway as ucialg. i'm not looking to elect a saint, but a leader. what happened to him, happened awhile back. i have not been paying attention currently up to right now. i don't know if he's come out and said any kind of a apologies, but the supreme court

justice went through the same stuff, and he's made a wonderful justice, so, again, i'm looking for a leader. >> uh-huh. okay. good. i'm interested from you, i'm picking up from sort of where sue and toni are at. how many would say that my vote is up for grabs or i'm undecided enough that i just, you know, i don't know where i will end up? you know, you has been to be here on this early december day, but how many of you are saying i've given you an answer, but i'm still really pretty up for grabs as a voter? okay. deborah, john, sue, toni, tina -- up for grabs. put your hand down -- [laughter] michael. okay. so how are you going to decide? how are you going to decide? maybe i should ask what is it

about the candidates that appeals to you or how are you going to decide that you got the right candidate? >> i think the big one is electability. that is what worries me. the person i identified the most with may not be the person who will be able to defeat obama. >> uh-huh. >> i guess that's every election, but -- >> okay. anybody else? >> i think the early primaries dwindle the field down quickly. we could see a candidate leave the race tomorrow according to what the papers are saying. things are narrowed down, and listening to the doobts, i think that -- debates, that makes my decision easier. >> i will not vote for ron paul. i liked what he stood for until i heard he does not believe in capital punishment. >> you're undecide the. >> anybody who appeals to you greatly or are they all equally acceptable smit >> i like newt

gingrich and romney right now. >> uh-huh. okay. how do you decide between the two of them? >> i wait. wait until somebody else leaves and asks the good questions. >> okay. >> that strike it with me. >> uh-huh. others? what are the thicks that are going -- things that are going to help you in terms of making your decision? sue? what's going to help you? >> well, the field is narrowed, down to two or three people, listening to what they are saying, how they say it, and them i'll make my decision. >> in terms of all the other candidates, is there -- are there can fats unacceptable to you? anybody have a candidate who say, look, i just know i can't be for this person for nomination? okay, who?

>> mitt romney. >> herman cain. >> who can't you be for? >> ron paul. >> herman cain. >> herman cain. >> okay. so decides herman cain and ron paul, everybody else is a possible vote for everybody here? >> if you -- i'm sorry -- >> yeah, go ahead. >> are you talking about the ultimate republican candidate or are you talking these listing here as far as weeding them out? between these here, i couldn't vote for mitt romney, but if he's the only one, i take him over obama. >> okay. >> no, i could not vote for romney over these individuals. >> okay. >> i don't want to vote for newt gingrich, and i'll just go to the polls being miserable if he's the only one. >> not rick perry.

>> i don't think he could debate very well. >> okay. how many of you have watched the debates? two, four, six, seven. debates been helpful, important in your decision making process? why? >> i think that when the candidates are put on the spot and you see how they can handle themselves, and i think that charisma goes a long way with, you know, certain voters. >> uh-huh. okay. ben? >> for me, it's just there's no intermediary there. i'm not getting it from a newspaper, but it's coming from their mouths. >> okay. >> [inaudible] >> what do you think? >> it's helpful to hear npr break them down and have it, you know, to have that -- i don't -- there's too much out there for me to grasp everything, so it's extremely helpful. >> and explain to me, and maybe

this is unfair because i'm putting you in an expert role, but, you know, it just amazes ming i take public opinion polls, and i've never gone through anything like this. one month. michele bachmann is soaring in the polls. the next month she descends to nothing. one month, up comes perry, then descends to nothing. up comes herman cain, and then he descends. up comes newt gingrich. he has not descended. romney hangs at one level. i mean, what is going on here? why are the people coming up and going down in all of that? what's going on? can anybody explain it? >> i think it's how the media portrays them at that time. >> okay. >> i think dirt is being, you know, uncovered on some of the candidates when they reach that level. until they are in the top candidate, they are ignored by

the media. unless they reach the top or towards the top, they are scrut newsed more. >> okay. anybody else? >> well, i think that we've become an instant gratification society, so we're all in. if it sounds good, and then when it's boring or nobody's interested in it anymore, we toss them aside. >> yep. chuck? >> well, the moderators, you know, why have libs moderating the debates? they bait them. i don't like how it set up. a good debater doesn't make a good president. i think perry could be a good president, but a piss-poor debater. >> yeah. do you think it's the media? is the media doing it, or are these candidates doing it to themselves? >> media's doing it. >> how many say it's the media's

fault for rick perry, for example? how about herman cain? is it the media being unfair? [inaudible conversations] [laughter] >> they are the ones constantly dropping -- [inaudible conversations] >> scrutinize the democrats as much as they scrutinize the republicans. >> right. >> scrutinize two ways. >> uh-huh. >> sitting back, not saying anything until there's a candidate. >> right. >> show of hands, how many expect the republicans to win in 2012? we're going to win the presidency? how many say that's going to happen? >> i hope so. >> i've got nine of 12 people, not sure? >> i think when times are

uncertain, people don't like change. >> chris? >> i don't think any candidate, none of the candidates separate themselves from each other. i don't see how they separate themselves from obama. >> so -- >> you want to stay with the devil you know or the unknown devil? >> okay. >> does anybody have or wish that somebody else would announce that i'd love to have another candidate besides the one currently in to get into the race? anybody feel that way? i got three, five, maybe six. six of you would love to see somebody else. do you have anybody or just would like to see somebody else? >> i wouldn't mind seeing mitch daniels on chris christie. >> do you have anybody else? >> i could not name somebody. >> but you'd love to see somebody else in? >> yeah. >> the reason you'd like to see somebody else in? >> because i think the majority of politicians in general are

just that, politicians. >> okay. laurel? >> i'd like to see somebody else, like a jesse ventura type, really tough. [inaudible conversations] >> i want someone i can be excited about. in all the years i voted, i've not had anybody i'd go out and campaign for. >> okay. this sounds crazy because -- but i think mark warner would stir the front up, i think. >> okay, okay. anybody else say -- you wanted somebody else in even though we got newt? >> yeah, well, chris christie would be good. somebody else i can say he can absolutely defeat obama. >> okay. now, stop and think about -- we think about the presidency, and,

indeed, at the end of the day, the person who is president has to deal with every issue around the world, has to deal with all of the domestic problems, all of the various things. some do it belter than others, but you have to do it for 114 days, but i'm curious, put down a score between 1-10 in terms of from your point of view, how qualified and competent you feel each of these people are to be president for the next four years. everybody from michele bachmann to rick santorum, and if you don't know anybody at all and have no impression, leave it blank, but any number, 1-10, how competent and qualified do you feel this person is to be president of the united states? >> 10 most exe tent?

>> thank you very much. 10 being on the high, and 1 being on the low. >> okay. >> okay. we'll do a show of hands quickly. how many put michele bachmann at an 8, 9, or 10, highly qualified? two people. anybody 0-5, bottom end of the scale, i have, one, two, three, four people at the bottom. herman cain, 8-10? i have one, two, three, four. >> how many at the bottom end of the scale? 0-5? one, two, three, four. okay.

newt gingrich, 8-10? i have ten people. 0-5, bottom end of the scale? nobody. john huntsman. 8-10? one, two. 0-5? how many didn't have any opinion? okay. most people. ron paul, 8-10? two people. 0-5? one, two, three. rick perry, 8-10? one, two, three, four, five. how many 0-5? three people. mitt romney, 8-10? one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, and how many 0-5? two. rick santorum, 8-10? 0-5. okay. most people don't know i

assume. newt gingrich, everybody had him as qualified and competent to be president, or ten did. why? anybody just throw it out. >> experience. >> experience. >> can get things done. >> okay. what else? >> proven like i said, twenty years ago when he was running things as a majority speaker, the economy was in its best shape in the last tent years. >> okay. good. anybody else? >> probably the smartest candidate. >> okay. >> i think he could turn this ship around completely. >> turn the ship around. anybody else? >> get the budget balanced. >> he has the budget balanced. okay. >> great debater. >> boisterous. >> strong, boisterous. >> he doesn't like the bickering. >> he doesn't like the bickering. >> firm on values. >> firm on values. >> opinionuated. >> anything else?

okay. seven thought that romney. why romney? >> family values. >> family values. again, question here was what number would you choose in terms of this person's got the competence and qualities to be president of the united states. okay. >> done a good job where he's at. >> okay. anybody else? >> nice job in massachusetts, the olympics. i think he's electable. >> right. >> create jobs. >> okay. >> you know how many jobs he created? he put money into so many companies 245 are today like google, amazon.com. he knows how to create jobs. >> okay. anybody else? >> he's a politician, and he's good at it. he's been through a campaign like this before, so i think he can take the pressure. >> okay, good. anybody else? okay. 2w0 people said no and gave him a 0-5. who gave him a low number.

tina and chuck? >> mitt romney? >> yeah. why in -- why? >> well, i think he says whatever people want to hear. >> i gave him a five because i don't want to make it too low or too high, but he doesn't have charisma. >> okay. >> herman cain, four people thought 8, 9, or 10, why? >> he has business experience. >> okay. what else? president of the united states on everything, four years. >> i think he's got some, you know, good points. i just think if he threw out all the baggage that surfaced, i think he could be a good candidate. >> okay. good, others? >> just because, you know, he made his qualifications are not all the greatest, but then again, either is the current administration. it's not necessarily something

everybody's looking for, but herman cain, i believe he takes complex situations, the tax code, and try to deliver a simple solution for everybody to understand. >> right. >> he's not a politician. >> okay. those people who gave him at the bottom end of the scale, not ready to be president, four of you, why not? >> he has no idea on foreign policy. he just listened to the interviews with chris wallace, he's a disgrace. >> i would be embarrassed for him to show up, oh, yeah, that's our president. >> he'll get bombed if he's the president. >> okay. anybody want to say anything about any of the others, rick perry or anybody else on the list, michele bachmann, in terms of their ability and ready to be president of the united states?

>> i think michele bachmann would do a great job. she's been in the house for quite a while, done a lot of good things for the state of minnesota. while she's not my front runner, she's certainly in the top three. >> okay. >> i feel her firm stance with the tea party hand-in-hand is a great thing. >> okay. good. anybody else? rick perry, five people say rick perry i think is ready to be president of the united states. >> when he entered legislation in texas, he entered as a democrat, and i think he could handle a bipartisan situation. >> okay. anybody else? not hearing a lot. i'll move on. okay. let me -- let me try this. here it is. you ready, sue? [laughter] there's an up --

invitation in the mail, been invited for the weekend -- why? >> for you and your family. write down everybody on the bottom of the yellow sheet, who do you hope the invitation came from, which of the candidates? you get to spend a weekend with one of the candidate's family. write down who you hope the invitation is coming from. who do you want to spend time with? >> do they have to be -- >> yes. >> okay. >> can it be mr. undecided? >> maybe that's ms. undecided. >> well, if you trily don't want to spend time with any of them, write down none, you know, but decide between one of the eight people.

>> write it down? okay. laurael? >> newt gingrich. >> how many said newt gingrich? i have one, two, three, four. okay, why? >> i want to talk with him and see if he's as tough as he appears. >> why spend the weekend with him? >> he invited me. >> what's it's going to be like? >> interesting. >> anything else? what will you do all weekend? >> question him. >> okay. >> i just like to get to know somebody that that's sort of seeming so powerful and in control, just to get more of a personal side. >> would it be a fun weekend? >> yeah, i think so. >> okay. what are you going to do? >> i don't know. he doesn't -- i wanted to put obama because i want to play

basketball. no, i don't know what his interests are, and that's what i'd like to find out, and i think that would be fun finding out the interests spp >> tina, you're going to the newt gingrich's forward week. why? >> i think it would be faze enating to hear -- fascinating just to hear and have a conversation with him and ask questions. >> fun? >> yeah. >> relaxed? >> i think we'd talk the whole time, but, yes, teds be -- it'd be fun. >> anybody else on newt gingrich? quickly. >> i think i could drink a lot of beers with him, learn about inside politics. >> okay. >> you think he'd be easily laid back type? >> yeah. >> okay. good. okay. sue, who are you going to? >> i think i'm the only independent, registered independent in the group. i'm going to wait until i have a candidate and then spend a weekend to find out if i really want to vote for them. >> okay.

michael? >> michele bachmann, so i think i would probably go with mitt romney, i saw his yachts and lifestyle. i'd enjoy the weekend. >> okay. how many had the romney's down? three people. why? >> i department know he had a -- didn't know he had a yacht. >> oh, my gosh, does he have a yacht -- >> i just want to see him on a personal level. >> what will he be like? >> easy going, relaxed, visualize a barbecue and family. >> okay. ben? >> actually, i picked mitt romney because he's on the list that i'm against, so i'd like to confirm or either allow him to change my mind or allow him to at least, you know, get his -- >> it's a pain weekend. >> no, i mean, it's me having an opportunity to either confirm my

suspicions and what i read about and learned about or whether to say, hey, i have not done my home work, and if this gentleman actually is the republican nomination, i'm going to feel better going to the polls for him. >> deborah? >> i put michele bachmann because i really don't like the tea party, so i would want to give her the benefit of the doubt to see if she's better than that. >> okay. christine, who are you going with? >> i chose rick perry. i'd tell him my life story, and tell him my problems and issues, and -- >> you think he'd be sympathetic, listen well? >> i think that would give a better idea of what the issues are that his voters are dealing with. >> okay. good. did i miss anybody, quickly? >> ron paul, because i think it would be the most interesting conversation -- [laughter] i think i'd learn a lot. >> i think ron paul because he seems like the most reel, genuine person when he speaks.

>> okay. okay. good. let's put up the pictures here, okay. let me try one other thing. that is -- [inaudible conversations] >> the muppet show. >> what's that mean? why did you say that >> [inaudible] >> okay. here's the question. if -- if this person were not a politician, what would he do? what's he look like? >> he'd be a ceo.

>> this guy? >> a rancher. >> what's this guy look like? >> soap opera actor. >> how many say soap opera actor in >> okay. >> what's this guy look like he's being if not a politician? >> dentist. >> dentist. what else? >> attorney. >> a game show host. >> an attorney. >> anybody else? >> a minister. >> what? a minister. >> anybody else? okay. what does this guy look like he'd be if not a politician? >> a really terrible salesman. >> what else? >> attorney. >> he does look like a businessman. >> a financial adviser. >> this one would be? >> a banker. >> a banker. what else? a stay at home mom. >> what else? you agree? >> homemaker. >> anybody else? a news broadcaster. >> okay. what does he look like? >> ceo. >> he looks like a ceo.

anybody else? >> a taste tester. >> a what? >> a taste tester. >> i got the camera guy to laugh. >> looks like he's high up in the military. >> i was going to say high up in the military. [inaudible conversations] >> this person? >> a pastor. >> okay, what else? >> a comedian. >> a comedian. what else? >> bill o'riley's replacement. >> oh, i like that. >> okay. >> that's good. >> this guy? can you see it? >> a what? >> athletic director. >> okay. high school football coach. >> teacher. >> teacher. >> teacher, okay. what else? okay. here we go. this guy looks like? >> tv pitchman. >> this guy? >> now he looks like a pastor to me. >> a businessman or attorney.

>> actor. >> actor. >> what else? >> sports team, general manager. >> what else? >> salesman. >> else -- what else? okay. here's a question. you've been unjustly accused of a crime, and you are going to trial, and it looks dicey, but one of the things that's going to be absolute key is you can have one of these people as your character witness. that is, they have to obviously be someone the jury is going to believe or someone they're going to relate to. write down who you would choose at the bottom of the page. who would you choose as your character witness where you've been unjustly accused of a crime, but it's clear you need help.

>> based on these pictures? >> no, no, no. based on what you know, okay. i'm just making -- no, not based on the pictures. you know these people. who would you like to be that person that's going to provide you with the credibility? okay. and tell your story. okay. let's go around the table. ben chose? >> newt gingrich. >> okay. deborah chose? >> ron paul. >> okay. >> ran paul as well. >> okay. >> newt gingrich. >> okay. >> ron paul. >> mitt romney. >> okay. >> romney. >> michele bachmann. >> yep. >> newt gingrich. >> okay. >> close, but michele bachmann. >> okay. >> michele bachmann. >> okay. same thing, michele bachmann. >> okay. why michele bachmann? >> go ahead. >> empathy.

>> okay. >> credibility like you said. i think she'd be a credible one. >> i think she could really get her point across and be believable. >> okay. okay. and did you have her? >> uh-huh. >> and why? >> same reason, believable, strong. >> okay. several of you chose ron paul. why? deborah? >> well, he has the face to trust. he doesn't seem to have an agenda. he seems outside the agenda, so you can trust what he says. >> i agree with deborah. he acts less like a politician, and he exudes morality. >> seems like he's a grandfatherly type, and he seems fairly honest. >> i said romney. i think he might be smooth enough that people would listen to what he had to say. >> okay.

okay. newt, why did you choose newt? >> age, wisdom, win over a jury, no problem. >> okay. >> strong, persuasive, and does his homework. >> tina? >> he looks drk -- comes across as honest and speaks very well. >> okay. try one other thing. here's the situation. let's suppose, for a moment, that rick perry were the sixth person in line at an airport counter, and there's only one ticket left on the plane. absolutely critical flight that this person must be on to get to a key event. how would rick perry handle it? anybody, jump in. >> send somebody else to do it. >> send somebody else to do it.

rick perry, how would he handle this? send somebody else to get the ticket? >> to get the ticket. >> okay. sixth person in line, has to be on the plane. >> he's got to be on that plane, but call texas buddies -- >> okay, good point. he has to get to that city, so your point would be >> >> find another way of getting there, but that's not -- i don't -- >> okay. anybody else? >> i think he'd talk to the five people ahead had anymore in line. >> okay. do what? >> convince them that he has greater needs. >> i think all of us would probably do that if we needed to do something and there's five people, oh, you need to talk to them and see and respect their decisions whether it's for or against us. >> i see him doing that. >> okay. >> herman cain. what would he do? >> he'd come up with something different. i don't know what. >> what would herman cain do?

>> [inaudible] >> okay. who else? what would herman cain do? >> he would talk -- >> [inaudible] [laughter] >> okay. >> he'd slip them his phone number. >> i think he'd do the same thing. >> i think so too. >> what would mitt romney do? how would he handle the situation? >> another flight. >> i'm sorry, john? >> buy the airline. >> buy the airline, what else? >> pay double for the ticket. >> okay. >> could buy himself to the front of the line. >> i think romney would try to pay it off or he would be the one going -- he'd find a way. >> pay his way to the top. >> okay. tina? >> he'd pay off whoever got the ticket. >> okay. okay. what would sarah palin do?

>> she would definitely talk to the people. >> i agree. >> what would sarah palin do? >> talk to the people in front of her. >> she'd get up on the counter and talk to them. >> yeah. >> tell the group she needs to go, and have the group convince the person. >> if newt gingrich were a member of your family, who would he be? in other words, from the closest relative to the further relative, ect.. who is newt gingrich? >> grandfather. >> grandfather, who else? >> uncle joe. >> uncle joe. who else? >> father. >> okay. he's a father because? >> i don't have one. >> okay. >> but why do you say that? >> he has the personality of the father. >> uncle joe was a personal person, loved character, and charismatic. he'd be my favorite uncle, speaks boldly and positively, but softly at the same time. >> okay. anybody else in >> grandfather.

>> yeah, he might be a uncle, but he'd bring in different wives at thanksgiving. >> okay. >> plenty to go around. >> i think he's a father figure. >> okay. he expects something of you. >> okay. good. who is mitt romney? who is he in your family? >> black sheep. >> black sheep. >> neighbor. >> i was going to say neighbor too. >> family. >> oh, cousin? >> yeah. >> second removed cousin. >> okay. >> uncle. >> okay. >> uncle. >> can you relate to him or distant? >> distant. >> distant. >> why distant? >> because he wouldn't come to the events. >> he's not me. >> toni?

what do you think? >> what did i say? he's a cousin. >> okay, and the reason? >> i don't know. i never thought about it. >> he's a mover, a shaker. he makes move, but doesn't have time for family, especially extended family. >> i see him as a dad that's never at home. >> the dad's that's never home. >> has responsibility, but not connected. >> others? >> a good family member, a close member of the family, leader of the family. >> okay. good. how many agree with michael? close member of the family? okay. tell me something. let's stay here. what makes you confident about mitt romney becoming the next president of the united states? not saying his chances, but what makes you -- what where the positive -- what are the positives, and what do you like about him being the next president of the united states?

>> moral character. >> strong leader. >> okay. that's michael. >> seems to roll up his sleeves when he's ready to tackle a problem. >> okay. good. what else? >> i don't think he's going to panic. he'll find his way, work to find a solution. >> okay. that's chris. >> steady. >> okay, good. so steady, roll up the sleeves. >> a good role model. >> okay, good. >> similar beliefs. >> okay. his belief system. >> okay, good. >> not polarizing. >> okay, good, what else? >> patriotic. >> okay. good. ..

>> i think that he has strong morals but he would keep a uneasily if absolutely necessary. >> she is a rhino. >> what is the rhino mean? >> push came to shove he would give up a founding principal of the republican party. >> how many agree with ben he is a rhino, he would give up principal -- okay. just say -- let me see. i've got ben, i've got christine, laurel, tina, rene

and chuck. why do you feel that way? laurel? >> he seems to answer questions with a question. i've noticed that. and that seems a little when she what she -- wishy-washy. >> christine? >> he would listen to advisers to much. >> tina? >> i think that he would do what's necessary to get the end result. giving up on his values. >> okay. and rene? >> what was the -- something along lines -- >> the flip-flopper or wishy-washy -- >> wishy-washy. it made me think of another word at the time but i don't remember what it was. i almost feel like he's a point where he's just trying not to get thrown out of the race. he's trying to be safe.

he's not strong enough. >> mm-hmm. >> chuck? >> my example, brought me -- rodneycare. wishy-washy, he says what he thinks you want to hear. >> what does he need to do to persuade you and make you feel comfortable? >> invite me up for the weekend. [laughter] >> deborah, you didn't china and on any of this. tell me what your thoughts are. >> i see him as a four year hold over that he is just a safe bet buffer for the next election after that. >> how many say i see him as a buffer? chris does. >> maybe not above her, but safe. >> okay. sue come your thoughts? >> i think that he could be a

place holder. i don't know. i just kind of have the feeling that we've got a group of people here that may not be able to win this election, and so maybe they are practicing from eight years from now. >> okay. let me go to new gingrich. the advantages of having newt. let me start by saying who has reservations or doubt about newt gingrich becoming president? who has reservations or doubt about new gingrich? >> about to give devotee to become president or -- >> him being president of the united states okay, to people. lowercase tell me, for the rest, what does he bring to the presidency, what are his strengths, would you like about him etc? >> the proven track record or at

least the experience i guess. >> he knows how the system works so he should be able to use that to his advantage. >> i think that her wrists would be afraid of him. >> jonathan? >> like i've been saying, he knows how to put people together in a room and get an answer. he's a negotiator. he will make things happen. >> okay. others? >> i think he is a strong person, would be as strong leader. a level concerned about maybe the multiple marriage act as far as a moral standpoint. >> anybody else? >> i think he would be good with foreign policy. he would represent countries. >> and economic fiscal policy would be pretty good.

>> and downside concerns. he's president of the united states what are the downside concerns? christine, you have any down side concerns? >> he is somebody different. >> i agree with michael on the morality issues. >> i'm concerned about morality. i think that he will make a tough decision. >> okay. >> it's just he's been alive for a long time to make a decent amount of mistakes. so in that way it doesn't bother me. values are really important to become extremely important to me. but at the same time, it doesn't make him a doubt leader. >> if michele bachman dropped out of the race would you vote for new gingrich? as the nominee? >> as a nominee -- >> over the others or --

>> i would be worried about -- i mean, i don't know. it may be i would be worried and i would still be looking at this up until it is go time, but you know, who could win and the election. so i might not. >> and you were with newt from the get go, right? go ahead. >> all i am now. i was and when we spoke -- >> who were you for? >> i was undecided. >> what moved you along this week? >> i would have to say honestly it was his view on immigration. >> okay. did his views on immigration bother anybody? did anybody say i heard his views on immigration and the bothered me?

was anybody impressed by his views on immigration? >> i was impressed he had the nerve to speak up. >> anybody else? let me try one other thing if i can. can we get the next sheet? what i have done here is i have put together a sheet of criticisms from the candidates, and what i would like to do is -- what i would like to do is have you look at those and put your name up at the top, and then these are things that essentially i have heard stated or read that the media has put

forth and essentially what i would like you to do is to check anything that concerns you or bothers you and if it doesn't concern you or bother you, just leave it blank. but the things -- and again, these are various things that have come out in the course of the campaign. any of the things for any of the candidates and if there is something that you see that is not mentioned, and that in. give you a moment or some to do this.

[inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

>> a lot of times we don't promise you a sauna but we give you a conversation with the sauna, you get them both. okay. you guys are doing great. this is marvelous. everybody ready? now what i'm going to do is run through the various things, and then you can -- first is meshaal bachmann. first question is on campaigning and cutting government spending and then the money that she, her family has received from the federal government. anybody bothered by that? one person checked 1.5283 term congressman, anybody got fired the need to bother with that? one person. she established the tea party caucus in congress. one person.

okay. health issues for herman cain. anybody bothered by that? nobody. no experience in foreign policy? two, four, five, seven, nine, ten people. 13 year affair? two, four, six people. okay. sexual harassment. three, four, six, eight, nine. never held elected office. two, four, six, seven. okay. talk to me about herman cain. a lot of things, different things bother you. leave it out. help me to understand. a lot of you said i would support herman cain for president or i like him or he's qualified. tell me what's going on and what you are thinking for any of these.

>> line was likely to support somebody that can't admit what they've done and move on. >> okay. christine, others? >> if there is one person coming forward with the sexual harassment you could give the benefit of the doubt and i know people have been accused of things in the past that have come forward and there is no truth to it where there is smoke there is fire. >> he paid off four of these women. >> other things that bother -- christine? >> with the sexual harassment issue i think the abuse of power. >> sue come anything to add? or any of you. anything. >> it bothers me that he hasn't held elected office. i like that he is a businessman, but you need to know how this works, how politics work. >> let me ask you again.

>> never held elective office, i see that as a plus. very few presidents come in having foreign policy experience >> if herman cain were to phone you tomorrow morning, how many would say i urge him to get out of the race, he should get out of the race? >> deborah says so. christine says so, jonathan says so, chris says so, rene says so. okay. deborah, why? >> so we can spend our time on more serious candidates. >> christine? >> i think he is a distraction to politicians. >> okay. >> jonathan? >> he was doing okay until he fumbled the ball. he needs to take a lie-detector test if he wants someone to

believe him. >> chris? >> he risks credibility if he continues with this. >> i would like to be able to focus on people who can beat obama. >> my conversation would be for him to come clean and then i would make a decision whether or not i could support him. let's go to the next. new gingrich. 1.6 million freddie mac. how many put that down as a concern? to people. creating a system on immigration how many people does that concern? one. third, marriage? it is either hand up or handed down. i've got three, four hands up. okay. change his position on issues like intervention in libya, the

rye and budget, global warming, health insurance. how many does that bother? two, four, six people. okay. majority of his career in politics. anybody bothered by that? to people. okay. good. talk about changing his position. why does that concern people? >> i think it is a sign he can change his mind if he gets new information. >> these are people that are bothered by this. okay. who is bothered by it and why? six of you raise your hand as something that concerns you. >> i feel when you enter a race this important you have to know from the get go with your stand is and stick with it, period. >> he has experienced enough to know that he should make a stand.

>> that's why i described earlier as volatile. >> i could see me be changing one issue but these are multiple issues and i think that's -- >> economics with the budget and you've got environmental global warming. >> let me keep going. third, marriage. four people were bothered by this and he had an affair with a member and the staff. why? who are the people concerned about that and why? >> it's not a deal breaker but it is a minor concern of mine it just goes to show his character. >> i don't care how many marriages he has had but it's the affair that bothers me. >> the fact that one of them apparently had cancer. it's a disgrace. >> you mean his wife?

>> you would like your president to be held to a higher standard. you would like to be proud of them. >> christine? >> anybody else? only two of you were bothered by the money that he's gotten from being a consultant. not a concern? >> anybody check anything on jon huntsman? okay. let's move to ron paul. anybody check something on ron paul? how many said age? okay, we've got three, six people. okay. anything else anybody checked? >> nado.

>> ron paul patriot act. >> let me go to rick perry. you checked something on illegal immigrants. three people. anybody check something on the vaccine? let me see hands up vaccine, two, four, six people. his executive order requiring all sixth grade girls to get the hpv vaccines and that bothered people because one? >> parents should be able to opt in. >> i don't trust it. >> why was it later reported that the staff had something to do with the lobbying to come out with everything to go in and

investigate eight. >> let's go last on romney instituted health care program in massachusetts with a lot of similarities to the obama health care proposal and he now will seek to repeal the health care plan. how many said that bothered them? one, two, three, four, five, six come seven, eight, nine. okay. his modified or changed positions on issues like abortion, global warming and no new taxes. how many are bothered by that? two, four, six, seven. he is a mormon and we've never had a person of mormon faith. okay. co-founded a private equity company. anybody check that? okay. the first to bother a lot of people here. what's the importance of the health care program. why does that bother people?

>> i don't want government-run health care. but he said he now seeks to repeal the obama plan. >> but does he have an answer to it? >> why does this bother people? i need to get underneath and understand what's going on here. if nine of you raise your hand that is more than raise your hand for anything else except herman cain having no foreign policy experience. >> health care is one of the biggest issues on the table, and he has romney care. so why should we believe that he's going to to repeal that? >> tony, speak up. >> i guess i should have check it because that does concern me. >> did you check it?

no. chris, why did you? >> something like the health care program mandating that everybody -- it is prying into someone's personal life making the decision for them and the fact he now says he wants to repeal the obama plan it doesn't tell me enough to say that he thinks it is a bad idea. >> deborah? >> we think he changed because a would help get him elected, and i agree with you i don't think that he necessarily thinks it is a bad thing but -- >> ben? >> it's just the program that you and your opponent have come up with are very similar and now all of a sudden because he is your opponent you want to repeal what he has done. >> and what does that tell you about him? >> that's what we've been

saying, the middle of the road, not middle-of-the-road but wishy-washy, just not strong enough, just kind of doing what he needs to do. >> that's why i said earlier he is going to be a buffer because he is just kind of going to change and run in the middle to keep -- >> i agree and for him to institute something in massachusetts, you are dealing with a state, one of the smallest states in the country. it doesn't equate to universal. >> i think he needs to find a way to do it. you go to a doctor back he's going to tell me how he's going to perform the surgery but he doesn't tell you anything. he makes up these grand ideas. >> jonathan? >> people of the still can't afford it they can't afford it

so it's kind of the better way to make it more affordable for people. the other thing that you mentioned something that concerned you is that he's modified change on his position on various issues like global warming and no new tax hikes. who put their hands up? okay. let me go around very quickly. why does that concern you? >> he's one of my top candidates and so is a gingrich. when there's multiple things you can change on that concerns me. >> tina? >> as we were saying before, it just seems like he changes his opinion to gain the people's interest. >> too much reversal. >> chris? >> the fact that he refers is his position on abortion that is an issue you should just know. >> okay.

>> i was going to say the same thing. these are serious issues. let me ask you each gingrich becomes president of the united states in 2013. the previous concern about new gingrich as president in 2013 and other words i'm going to put this back here and four years from now you're going to be able to say i warned you about this. so tell me your greatest fear. you may love him and want him that you can still offer a fear or concern. what is your greatest concern about newt president of the united states? >> key will only be able to complete 90% of what he said he would do. [laughter]

>> he is the way to go in and he's going to do a lot and he will be strong and firm on some things but he's going to cave on a few things that would matter. concern about gingrich. >> this is the real world. john wayne is a decree to come and solve all of our problems. he just cannot do it. >> is that because he isn't strong enough or he doesn't care enough or he's going to change his position? what? >> because we are polarized and we cannot do that in four years. >> christine? >> i think that his hands are already dirty. >> tell me how his hands are dirty. >> with his experience that's how he got there. >> laurel? >> i feel he may give up some of his beliefs and to get what he

wants done. >> jonathan? >> some of these issues with his affairs will blow up like clinton and the trek from what he's really there to do. >> all of his political clout and everything we praise him for right now. >> sue? >> i will say this about every candidate. they will promise with a need to promise to get elected and then things can't change in four years the way everyone wants it to. >> tony? >> it's quick to be important to keep its around him, and he has working with him. >> but you're telling me the reason you think that he was because he won't be successful? >> i'm not afraid he won't be successful. >> tina? >> something won't come up in the marriage area again whether it is an affair or something. >> okay. good.

>> the same, just that he will lose power and ability to affect change. >> thank you. okay, chuck. >> he isn't a yes man. >> one of the strengths he has in the beltway for a long time. >> okay. my greatest fear about mitt romney to bring you back four years from now, here's how i think that mitt romney is going to end up coming up short. chris? >> i think that he's not going to get anything done. >> he's not going to get anything done because? >> he has just enough support to get close to the finish line. >> okay. jonathan? >> he doesn't say what he's going to do about health care in terms of repealing obama plans.

>> laurel? >> i don't think any of his ideals. >> okay. again what is your fear that if he becomes president and what is the downside concern? >> i don't think he has the knowledge to solve the problems. >> okay. deborah? >> he doesn't have the conviction to move forward. >> ben? >> as chris said almost verbatim he's not going to get anything done and it's going to be a show. >> and he won't get anything done because -- >> he's going to try to please too many people. >> and he won't get anything done because -- >> he won't garner and of support, he won't get anywhere else. >> michael? >> he will not have enough support from both parties working with the democrats i'm not sure he could persuade them to the way he wants things to go.

>> replete obamacare will not be a priority for him. >> renee? >> i guess he won't be able to fix things that are the biggest issue to us right now. >> he will flip-flop so much the policy does implement will be more space. >> toni? >> i'm not sure he can make the right decision of a military crisis came up again. >> sue come same thing. >> yes. >> okay. two other things. and you have done great. thank you all very, very much. i just saw a crystal ball and the choice you are going to end up with in virginia by the time the primary comes is going to be newt gingrich against mitt romney. hauer you voting? >> gingrich.

>> how are you voting, christine? >> newt. >> are you voting laurel? >> same. >> mitt. >> newt. >> i want to be excited about one of them. romney. >> newt. >> newt. >> newt. [laughter] >> here's the question. would any of you not vote for the republican nominee if it were newt new gingrich or mitt romney against barack obama? would any of you say i would not

vote for the republican nominee if he were newt and gingrich or -- >> it's possible. >> very possible. >> if it's not romney -- if it's not newt or romney. >> i would hope enough republicans surrounded obama to have them compromise and move forward. >> okay. anybody else? so three people. but if it were newt, you might not coming to light. and deborah, if it were newt, would you vote or might vote -- >> i might vote for obama. >> and you would vote for obama because -- >> because he needs more time and i would hope that other republicans would surround him. >> final question.

barack obama winds to the election. why would he when? why did he win? tina? >> because it wasn't strong enough. >> president obama wins re-election, toni, why did he win? >> we didn't get a strong opponent. >> sue? >> exactly. >> chris? >> the person isn't as charismatic as he is. >> jonathan? >> he raised more money or polarized the country. >> laurel? >> people were foolish enough to vote for him the first time. >> people like to vote for the person that is going to win. >> not a strong enough candidate against him. >> republican based around the person the republican party put

forward. >> because he is a great speaker and i think he probably would do better with head-to-head debates. >> michael? >> 51% of the nation will see him as santa claus and the are misinformed or under informed. >> and i think it is more about today's electing him and just general fear of change. scirica there is a third-party candidate is going to run. maybe ron paul, maybe 80 party candidate. mitt romney and barack obama are the other two candidates. hell many people would vote for the third party candidate that would be a tea party candidate? you have a choice romney, obama

or tea party. how many people say i would vote for the third party? one, two -- >> that doesn't mean ron paul. >> you have done an absolutely marvelous job. i hope you had a good time. i hope it has been eliminating. it's been great, and again, let me say thank you for the public policy center at the university of pennsylvania, and we have concluded our session. thank you all very, very much. >> [inaudible conversations] >> we are going to find out and send to you. [inaudible conversations] >> thank you very, very much.

[inaudible conversations] >> okay you have the great advantage of getting to sit behind the window and breathe all of this and. covered a lot, didn't get to cover everything i wanted. i'm interested in a top line assessment. here we are a month before and

look at this. what emerges out of all of this? >> if the are very well informed and have opinions from the issues we think may matter, a lot of people brought up it may not have been a major issue, and a lot of romany people trust him but they don't like him. >> the support for romney came through people didn't say when people talked about the history but when u.s. could he be a second cousin someone else said he would be the father to never was home. these are not the kind of feelings, think about who would bill clinton be in your family. i mean it just seems a distant

figure. >> that and the question about the airline to use >> i was struck by the fact we are number of urgent and if there is a place where they're ought to be mitt romney republicans it ought to be a place like this and yet it was just paper than. >> i think that newt pingree change the immigration debate. it was interesting to me because i thought republicans would react so badly when he said to have to have a quote on quote united policy, and people have been here for 20 or 30 years. people here tonight kept saying we shouldn't export these people, and i think that -- i thought that would have been very difficult to sell and i think that he just kind of three

free and the debate at least in this part of the world. >> i was struck by not only the lack of the connectivity with romney, but the fact that he has been unable to make a sale of his strongest asset which is the economic issues. there was reference to him being a business person but no one talked about him as the guy that has a plan or an idea or the confidence to deal with the biggest issues. >> so it was what was on said rather than what was said maria >> a lot of it was said which shows what a great distance there is still between him and the voters. >> i also agree with the lack of identification but it was also the subtext people felt almost resigned or that he was going to be the only remaining choice

that just kept percolating through the conversation, and yet they don't seem to identify with him personally at all, and when they do, they give him negative attributes. he's the guy is going to leave them in line at the airport. >> he is the nature of new gingrich. you listen to all of the negatives and the freddie mac part only got two responses, the immigration just one. you compare that with romney and they're seems to be a lot more problems with ronnie van newt gingrich and we've covered gingrich a long time and can probably list and entire sheet and it didn't matter at all. i know you've done herman cain a couple of months ago i would love to kind of get a sense of the difference between people's response on herman cain and new gingrich now. >> would be curious to see what they say in a month. how much as it keeps coming back either sticks to him or it doesn't. >> how much of those reviewed were not new to us but were still relatively new to the

people in the group and they haven't heard it through the news media. >> or because it is news they are willing to kind of slavkov now. >> pardon me. the lack of the tree all, they obviously are not sympathetic or supportive but other than talk you didn't get the sense that the re-election was quite to drive them out of the country. the total absence of any emotional connection that he has been able to meet with the electorate. the rationale. that is pierced and there is nothing to catch them. there is no argument for his qualities or his competence or experience. if i were a romney lieutenant, i would be scared stiff tonight.

>> if you look at them, nine of them said, you know, they were worried about the sexual harassment stuff, that he had an affair. no experience in foreign policy. it seems to me that they essentially disqualified. >> i gave them a vote in the day he essentially said i finally told them get out. pretty direct i thought in terms -- >> there were two things and that is you never heard occupy wall street once, nor did you hear any of the sense of that side of the equation, and i was interested. i sort of expected that they would move from their personal

problems, but you get this sense from this group and you are looking for their ideas and they don't represent a cross-section. but i was looking to see what were the bridges that could be built, and i was sort of surprised that they had their own island, and they were very comfortable on this island and there wasn't the sense i wanted the new country and i would like to be able to see this but they had a picture or sense of hope or any of the things that were there in the 2008 campaign. this one just felt a lot more sour if i can put it that way rather than one of optimism and hope. the second thing that just sort of fascinated me is the sense that the nominee is going to get most of the votes and even some

people said they were reluctant, and yet you could not feel a year of campaigning that the sort of reached a point where you could say i see them jelling together. i can see these things. if you go back and you think about years ago you could see differences, but you could feel the elements that john mccain had to put together a didn't feel that i listened to this group and there were elements the were coming together. equally important i thought was -- four years ago mormonism came up into the shirt, not mentioned at all tonight. now obviously i put it in any way that was limited and there were other ways to go in, but nobody felt the need to bring it

and again recognize we are in northern virginia and north and south carolina or alabama where it may be much stronger, but i was interested in that, and the second thing is that as you look at romney the one thing i think you have to say is that all of his sort of family man personal values elements what i saw here and if i were looking at this from of romney point of view, his model is really richard nixon 1968, and what i am saying is that the country is in terrible shape and as deborah said he is the buffer in is going to get us may be through the next four years. he is going to be the safe choice, and you can feel that. so, on one hand there is no warmth, there is no connection.

there was probably a little connection of 1968, and you look at this and the other thing i would say is here we are among the way there's going to be a lot of volatility. i was surprised that he showed as much secondary strength. there were only to people who walked in here thinking they were new gingrich people come and when you started playing more and more you really end up with a lot of people more than willing to take his weaknesses and turn them into strengths. he shouldn't be running as the outsider he should be running as the insider and that is essentially his campaign against romney. >> one of the things we identify for the strength is the enthusiasm and republicans are energized and more enthusiastic about voting and yet if you look at this there wasn't really any passion for any of these candidates and you can track

that would say four years when democrats wanted to win back the white house he would have had a passionate support of both obama and hillary clinton. so what does that say about -- does he have them an advantage for republicans because we didn't see them here. >> that is the difference between the quantitative surveys and qualitative and the answer is quantitatively they are more enthusiastic as we both know, but qualitatively there isn't -- there were no exclamations. the way that you could feel the group came together to beat >> would they be driven? there wasn't a eager towards obama but if they are going to go out and vote with the be driven not so much by their enthusiasm towards romney or to whoever it is, but rather by their antipathy towards obama and by their anchor towards him and, you know, not wanting to go

in the wrong direction. >> which is bigger. >> i'm not sure which is bigger, but the thing that has to happen is on the one hand, sure there is the antipathy, but words the other hand the need to welcome candidates. as sue put it well. it would be pretty hard to say that anybody here have really fallen in love. maybe speed more than anybody would newt gingrich. >> it's interesting because when you talk to the republican elected officials, even those who are not committed to anybody publicly at this point, they are pretty well convinced that the enthusiasm that is a big asset but if they listen to this group tonight they would have to have a different opinion particularly if romney is the nominee. >> how much do you think that is

a factor? it seems folks in the room were halfway to a decision and maybe that's leader in the process than it was four years ago but the discarded if you candidates and the decision in the room collectively was a lot more than they may think to believe and in the three or four months once they all sort of reach consensus about who the nominee is. >> i just don't think candidates should generate that kind of passion where do all of a sudden say i want to work the weekend and give up my job. to think about the difference between 2008 on the democratic side and today, it's so striking. >> but the other question, the flip side of that is if they can't fall in love with the candidate, can they believe that this candidate has the stuff to actually make some changes? and that is the other thing we didn't get from this group

tonight. ideally you have both, but it didn't feel tonight as you have either one yet. >> it does seem pretty skeptical whether either gingrich or romney they were very skeptical about whether he could do any of these things. >> but back then they thought newt would only get 90%. [laughter] >> because they think both romney and newt are flip-flopper nurse so that plays into the notion of what they cave since they have been on both sides of the issues and neither one of them, you know, has a great track record according to these folks. >> people reacted and essentially i didn't think they were only telling us about romney and gingrich, but they were telling us about president obama, that essentially the strength that i'm looking for is the strength of conviction. it's missing in the current occupant.

i'm very doubtful about governor romney and hopeful newt can enhance it but you start to tell me he's changed position. is he going to be like that? i must say that every group has a surprised and i was surprised how well he worked throughout the whole two hours. i thought it might be a 20 minute burst. i thought that it lasted a lot more. let me ask another question and that is what question to you think provided the insight that you will take out of this session? in other words, what would you find helpful they gave you a sense of where things were? >> a family member. made it really -- distinguished the newt gingrich identified as a father, grandfather, of some

uncle has versus mitt romney who wanted even part. >> and the line at the airport which was and that of the street until you got to romney and people were saying these awful things about him that they didn't have an answer for anybody else. >> money is a much bigger problem. >> it is a sense of privilege and we go back to cincinnati which dan and mark were at coming and what was fascinating about that was, again, the sense of privilege of this person rather than one of us. he is set apart, and he is different, and that's -- as somebody said, he represents part newt come he represents wall street. he's not occupy wall street. >> privilege cannot in the family question, to act. obama said he's not the kind of person who would come. >> right.

>> the question that most surprised me is which one you bought as a character witness and nobody mentioned romney and paul and michele bachman with each conviction politician but everyone thinks of them and they come across that we cannot come across as long petition conviction candidates and dean gracia did get one of them well. maybe three. but i thought was interesting in the absence of anybody. >> i was surprised by that. we talked about this earlier and i predicted that he would do much better than he did. >> i think bachmann will do pretty well. >> it is such an insight in terms of that which is that doesn't change people and say i want to be for bachmann or i wanted to be for paul, but they did tell you something about these people know who they are and where they stand, and so

therefore i want them -- >> that disconnect. >> that was odd to me that it seemed over the course of the conversation that paul and bachmann were the two least likely candidates to get the vote and yet here they were saying if i am in a pinch these are the folks i want. >> i don't think it has to be the same. i wasn't looking for that, and the other thing i want to see is to meet the real surprise is i say give me your profession. my god. you start looking at this. this is going to drive them backed. they've seen me as this and they've seen me as that. i have to say that the one other person that is going to say this is great, just anybody in the obamacare they are not going to look at this and say this is really bad news. >> i think it was sue that said we have a group of people here that might not be able to win.

there will be something. >> when you went around the table and said if obama wins what is the reason the overwhelming answer is we didn't have a strong enough candidate. >> and still the [inaudible] they said i want someone else to get in. >> to your question, peter because i have a second runner-up for most and it struck me last month or so the way that gingrich's knowledge and experience and confidence is such a fundamental check off point for the voters in the primary come and he owns at, and i think that alone makes him -- >> she hasn't had drawn against him either. that came to me about the

history of newt gingrich. it's more than controversial and i don't know if there is enough time between now and iowa for the refresher course about the access and impeachment or whatever. >> there's a fair amount of time between south carolina and now. >> none of them seem to be invited away. they couldn't come up with a name or they had a name lima more against. >> questions all weekend. >> i used those questions for probably four or five presidential elections and the

magnet is this is somebody i want to spend time with. i couldn't get them to open up and say look, are around the dinner table you're going to go what ever way -- >> that was the response he got. >> the problem is nobody has become an interesting personality in terms of reading and that is why herman cain was so strong early on because he was the only likeable person. [inaudible] [laughter] >> with that we will leave the discussion. thank you. [inaudible conversations] >> mark, that will get you invite on the show.

[inaudible conversations] >> i just got an e-mail that said herman cain said he's going to make his decision before monday. he's trying to avoid going home. >> yap triet can you believe he hasn't been home? i would say i don't care what you're running for. dannel conversations [inaudible conversations] ..

>> he didn't have a lot of romantic ideas about spying. he saw it as what it was, business. >> my father changed in my pain after his throne on at the agency. i think if you watch them closely and study him, he is a soldier. he took on the toughest, dirtiest assignments given to him by the president from eisenhower onward. but when it came time for the president, ford in this case, to ask them to lie and mislead

congress, he couldn't do it. >> at this week's republican governors association orlando come a panel of governors discuss the 2012 presidential race. posters glen bolger and three lutz participated. this is an hour and 20 minutes. >> ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats and direct your attention to our screens for a special presentation. [inaudible conversations] [cheers and applause] >> since capturing a strong majority in 2010, republican governors have already transformed the nation's politics. they've provided a clear contrast between republican executive leadership and barack

obama. lower taxes. balanced budgets. >> we can create an environment in ohio where we can create jobs rather than listing them. >> a laser like focus on jobs on one hand. >> versus higher taxes, record deficits and uncertainty and indecision on the other. but in 2012, the republican governors association's impact will grow even larger. republicans love a governor or election for governor in all but one of 2012 critical swing states. in the rga will be on offense in aid of the 11 states holding governors races next year. of those 11 states with governors races next year, nine of them will also be holding a u.s. senate race. given the strong correlation between a lack in a republican

governor and picking up a u.s. senate seat, it won't only be democrat governor candidates who fear the rga investing in their states. >> 89 times taxpayers expense. >> quickly from the states, no organization is a greater influence on our nation's politics than the republican governors association. >> your state capitol, republican governors say the effort to cut government spending and keep taxes low and get our economy back on track by making our state more competitive. >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome governor haley barbour. [applause] >> good afternoon, y'all. good afternoon and welcome to our first recession, where we are going to talk about politics of all things. and i am joined by two great

professionals in politics business, make lutz, maybe the best known focus group cannot tear since mozart or some kind of conductor. and glen bolger has done tremendous work for rga and glenn's public opinion strategies one of those premier public polling firms. want to say thanks for the work you've done, including what he presented to us this morning. and then maybe tell us a little something about politics. bobby jindal was held at 66% of the vote in his reelection campaign. you may think 66, the other guy got 34. actually the person who finished second finish 48 points behind bobby. so i think you're going to enjoy hearing from each one of them.

and i'm not going to let them have an opening statement. we are going to straight out and regular discussion. i'll just start off with you, glenn, because of the survey did this morning. the 2010 election was the biggest repudiation of the president's policy in a midterm election perhaps in american history. the election is almost exclusively about jobs, the economy, taxes, spending, deficit, dad. what about the 2012 election? >> well, those are the same reason issues along with health care, obamacare to that coming to your list of issues. and look, and this is a situation where the price against approval rating, when they get reelected, presidents have an approval late in the mid-50s. when they lose its around 40% on average. this president's approval rating is 43% right now. and when you look at measures

like consumer confidence, for example, he's right at the level where jimmy carter was at this point in november of 1979 from our consumer confidence is. he also by the way where ronald reagan was in 1983 at this point, obama is 25 points lower than where reagan was. so he's got real problems with the economy and how people feel about him overall. one of his drinks though as he is a rocksolid base. the african american voters are strongly behind him. he does well with hispanics and other minorities as well. so demographically, that is his best hope of getting reelect bid from the political environment standpoint. he is running in to head with emily to a jimmy carter had in 1980. >> and obama run for reelection on his record and went quiet >> on his record, but he can run

and attributes. >> one of the things i've been going on for the last couple years as a political people to move away from traditional issues of budget, taxes for governors, education, transportation and focus on the attributes, and accountability, personal responsibility. i give you an example. two examples in terms of language. if the fight is over the middle class, which is still an attribute, not really an issue, democrats are going to win. they spent the last 30 years fighting over the middle class to try to demonstrate that they represent them and they have an edge and with what's happening in our economy with wall street they could win on that one. they cannot win if the site of some hard-working taxpayers. we can say we defend middle-class and the public will say i'm not sure about that. but defending hard-working taxpayers, republicans have the advantage. a second example is over tax cuts for the rich and battles a different governors are having now in dealing with tax policy. if you talk about raising taxes

on the rich, a majority of americans, including almost half of republicans support a tax increase. but if you talk about government taking money from hard-working americans, the public says no. taxing the public will say yes. taking the public will say no. so my challenge for the people in this room is to see whether they are so precise about the work that they use that changes the dynamic that obama canceling. >> bobby, when you look at the issues that are what will the election be about, in louisiana, is that all the economy? is the energy of a party that? >> certainly our economy has done better than the region of the national economy. but like everywhere else, jobs even more specifically as a part of the economy is absolute top concern, has been a top concern

for 25 years we're exporting his temper for your son and are we a people move back and reverse migration. people are concerned about lingering affects of the moratorium was still got 11 rights come from the polls and even though the unemployment rate is lower than the national average, there still are people that could be working if we produce more energy at home. you look at the impact of the ongoing impacts of obamacare, very unpopular back home in louisiana. one of the things interesting about this campaign and you said this during this conference, and that this may be -- i know this gets said a lot, but this may be the most important election in terms of the direction of our country. for whether the republican nominee is going to be, it is hard to remember in the last few election cycles a wider ideological divide between our nominee and their nominee. the reality is this election is not about who's the best speaker. if you remember four years ago when the president is running, i believe he did a good job presenting himself to independence is less than

ideological, more confident, just the money will change the tone in washington. number one, this is clearly an election about the direction of our country. it's about $15 trillion of debt, federal government spent 24% of the gdp of obamacare for the federal government is getting more and more faltering health care. gives the federal government for baltimore in a private sector companies and more and more of the economy. i think the first point i make about the election if it's not about or shouldn't be about personalities or was the best speaker who looks the best in a zoo. there really is about a vision for this country. we want to go the way of european socialists democracies or do we want to preserve another term used often that we continue to be an aspirational society at dynamic earth society. the second point i make is the president ran a different type of campaign. hope and change. my concern is i don't think he can run on his record when it comes to unemployment rates can

a stimulus obamacare. this campaign will or should be focused on tearing down the republican nominee and will be a much -- a different kind of campaign that what we saw four years ago. >> that's a reminder that the one promise upon a cat as he is going to change in washington d.c. and it's gotten worse. a lot worse. as you are making a point, issues of policy versus attributes or something else, it does bring me back to the idea, as bobby said, obama can't run for reelection on his policies. he's got to tear down the republican. but with verity cnet. >> we tested it last night here in orlando which is a great swing state. cannily the. cannily the act had an impact on what people thought about romney. the reason why is it was done with humor rather than anger. what's interesting is there so much advertising already out

there that is so vicious and tone and we are a year away from the election and the public is saying no. so if you can make them laugh you're more than likely to connect to them. you need to connect in ways they live. everyone talks about jobs at the governor said in your talk about creating jobs. watch this. by show of hands among the people on the outside, which you rather have a job for a career? you cannot wonder the other peer job or career. raise your hand if you want a job. now raise your hands if you want a career. so why are we talking about jobs? i don't necessarily have faith that the republicans will get it. and you and i have known each other for a while and i've been poking for a while. i think they are better than they have been. i don't know if they really feel it or not. >> yeah, it is an issue. i think he probably does the same thing in louisiana that we try to talk to voters about your

children and grandchildren can stay in mississippi and have careers. and you're right. i'm not sure how that applies to the presidential election, but it has clearly better for her page. >> the other question because we should be talking to people rather than questioning them. are you better off in her parents work when they were to reach? says yes. it can turn the lights on. how many of you out there truly believe that your children will be better off than you -- not that she wants him to be. how many believe your children will be better off when they get to be your age, raise your hands. we've got one governor and eastern kansas, so that's not it. last night now that is such a powerful -- he's got five kids? okay, three of her five kids will be better off. i'll let you choose which three. that is the power of questions.

it's not just are you better off today than you were four years ago, which is what glenn and i would do because it's political. are your kids be better off than you could size human. and obama can't answer that question. >> in fact that's killing me. what do you think about the issues that for next year? you know, the issue was all jobs as the top about. do you think that will -- that it will become something different or not? or do you think rather than being about policy hypnotist frank says turn out to be a campaign that focuses on something other than policy in the results of those policies? >> i think a couple things. one of the echo frank's point about obama has to run a very indicative destructive campaign. he has to turn it against whoever the republican nominee is because, you know, if he runs

on its own record that's not really much to run on. look at health care for example. you know, before it passed and it was unpopular, wait till it passes will be more popular. that didn't work. they said okay wait until people get to know more about it. wait until people you're about it. and if anything is more people now, the more they don't like it. and then they said wait till some of it goes into effect, that they really going to like it. so that is why he got to run a destructive campaign and negative campaign from an issue standpoint it is going to be overwhelmingly about jobs and the economy. and the supreme court is going to make sure health care is a major part of the debate as well. it's going to be about spending and the deficit then those issues -- look, could something have been from a foreign affair standpoint? yes. but she never can assume that

something major will happen on that level. so i think the issue agenda is pretty well defined right now. and that's not always the case going into the presidential election. but there's no sign the economy will turn around anytime soon. but you see most of the science and there's some encouraging news from the economic standpoint. for the most part, there's way too many questions. either from business as. you know, they just don't know that they contrast with the administration is going to do. >> i was interested in weapons research that the most popular public republican position that you tested for voter approval was in all of the above energy processes.

for abundant americans affordable energy. >> first of all that's exactly right. i want, and something that frank said that think is so important for us to understand and truly out time. you know, i'm a conservative. i think the federal government is doing too many things and i just believe it should be as bigoted as an wants a permit to bigger government. the reality is there to translate why that's an everyday people's lives. in louisiana we commenced able to make tough choices about covering government spending to make the changes in ethics class. the reason were able to do that as we connected it to the welfare of the children. the reality is just one quick example in louisiana. we've done a survey and tied for first place for businesses from investing in my state. tied for first place was the sense that corruption, the perception there is so much corruption that who you knew was more important what you knew.

we did our first special session that went from the bottom to the top of a bunch of these good list. the reason we're able to do that is because whenever change those laws. they've been away for a long time. it wasn't just because they want to be number one. people were tired of seeing their children a more important to grandchildren that they stay. when you talk to voters to to say we just had thanksgiving last week. how may times yet to get on a plane? how many times do you see her grandchild per year? you watch them play soccer or you've seen them twice a year? that got people's attention. it is because of those politicians acting out, maybe we need better ethics laws. i think the same thing as true in the national scene. it is great to talk about government as a percent of gdp or $15 trillion, but we've got to translate what that means as higher interest rates, what that means and most importantly exactly what frank has had come your children and grandchildren may not have the chance that the

american dream we inherited. give us more opportunities than we inherited from parents. would i want to be the first generation that spends their children's inheritance. i think that they motivate folks around the big entitlement programs and government spending. going back to energy, my state has asked berkeley provided oil and gas to the rest of the country. the week that a new company that will hire 600 people to build the blades or wind energy. we have a company hiring 14,000 people to build modular components for nuclear energy. we have a company first. tyson built a refinery to make bio diesel to use these products. alternative energy projects we have a clean coal facility at the northwest louisiana. we are absolutely for all the above strategy. we want to provide energy to the rest of the country and we believe in renewables and oil and gas and nuclear including: conservation of all of it. i think the problem washington

is dennis put ideology ahead of practicality. all of a sudden you have a moratorium in the gulf coast and uncertainty about the shale and tracking. all of a sudden you have uncertainty about permanence for coal mining. and you have dial-up and all that means two things. more of our dollars are going overseas. higher energy prices at the pump. even as important and sometimes this gets overlooked. it's another region for manufacturing took overseas. billions of dollars coming back to america back to louisiana in part because knife cut affordable natural gas. i just last week with a company that moved about 90 jobs from china back to louisiana and they are able to get some of these high-value, high paying manufacturing jobs, to america. this administration could drive jobs overseas for their ideology of her practicality when it comes to energy policy. >> he talks about grandparents and grandkids.

the strongest family relationship of all our grandparents and grandkids because they both have the same enemy. [laughter] that's right. i'm a dad. it's a joke, but it's true. and you talk about overseas. when it comes to energy, talk about the middle east. when it comes to jobs, talk about china because these are specific places people relate to. we talk about domestic energy. it's american energy, american oil, american natural gas. sometimes we're the biggest offenders in new business people sitting around the corner. they are the ones who should be responsible for providing the best language because they try to defend what they're doing. i'm so scared of this anti-wall street after. i am frightened to death. okay, they should occupy a job and take a bath. i get that joke, but man they are having an impact on what the american people think of

capitalism. and so trying to get to work removed and placed with economic freedom or free market. but the public now believes capitalism -- they still prefer capitalism socialist, but they think capitalism is immoral. if were first seen as defenders, we've got a problem. >> you also have a situation where these media try to make this a much, much bigger story than if it was any other group of protesters from most any other subject. i was going to ask you, i think glenn did write that obama will run the best campaign ever run and you flew to the fact he's already started. the romney spot you're talking about is actually the very negative spot that they had aired or published on romney. remember, they did one in arizona and went somewhere else. can the president get reelected. lee by saying my trying to

disqualify this opponent? >> trying to disqualify george bush's record and he never put forward by they should vote for him. first off, john kerry and the "wizard of oz." last back were in florida. it was in a statement he was going to run in 2008, when the kid comes up in his yelling and screaming and the police, and the kid yells out, don't teaser me, bro. the kid goes straight down. first person ever electrified from a john kerry speech. [laughter] [applause] it is not enough to tell people what you are against. you have to explain to them what you are for. the key in this obama thing i'm starting two years to ask whether he deserves four more years is actually the wrong question. to ask what there is record the

ears is a better question. for years seems like such a short amount of. based on nicer survey shows the philly with jobs, fill it with the economy, sailor with virtually everything, does the record of serving eight-year presidency. if you change to eight years of weekends. >> how much clan does having a republican governor of this state are winning the governorship on election day for republican affect the presidential? >> look, i think it is important on multiple levels having a republican governor in the state. particularly key swing states like florida and ohio and then winning and north carolina. and having one in virginia makes it easier for the republican nominee to do what they need to do in this state in terms of building an organization. voters don't wake up on election day and say, you know, i really like this job that bob

mcdonnell is doing so i'm going to go for republican nominee for president. that's not what happened. but because bob mcdonnell has such a good organization in virginia, he's able to put it to work in the turnout in the key areas and make it easier for the presidential nominee to fund raise in the states among key donors and all those things too added incrementally and in a close race. and the, this is 2012 because of the demographics and challenges obama faces, demographic advantage he has been the challenges he faces that the economy is shaping up to be another 2000 or 2004 when it's really, really close. this is not 2006, 2008, 2010. but voters are much more evenly divided. they are leaning our way, but not quite there yet. it's almost a year to go. those incremental things close

key races with the republican campaign in north carolina for governor. the singer flat up it can make a difference in a very close race. >> if obamacare is louisiana, he will appear in fortysomething states. but you all had a great relation with these issues. and now, what are your numbers for the legislature? >> for the first time, just to give you a sense of how far we have moved from the q-quebec eight years. their seven nonfederal state elected offices louisiana. we have render public enough of 70 years ago. today we have seven out of seven and there really wasn't a credible democratic candidate in any one of the seven election in this election cycle. in the house and senate for the first time we've got majorities to the end of my first term thanks to party switchers in

special elections. this is the first time i've elected a majority to vote to either chamber. we are 50th in the house, 24 in the senate. 24 out of 39 and the senate that are now republicans. here is the most important soul. certainly we carried all 64. we carried new orleans and first-time republicans. we carried 66%, but the number that is the most important sunni was beset after her election, our top priority was the elected statewide education, which is unusual sight. we said k-12 education of your top priority going into the first year improving education for children. before it was roughly 65 -- i'm sorry, reforms when it comes to giving parents more choices are rewarding great teachers entering the things that can improve education for kids. after this election cycle it is now 101.

we endorsed in fixer he says and what was really exciting this week the entrenched republicans pick composed over trying to do. a group comprised of union and i caught him the coalition for the status quo. they feel the candidates and put people on the ground. but was exciting to me as we just didn't win in republican friendly districts. we won across party party lines and racial lines in a pretty bold agenda for improving education in our state. but the election showed was two things. one, you can make the tough decisions. you look at mitch daniels experience over in indiana and some of the governors who came before -- a couple years before me made some tough decisions. are they going to be look to survive this? you have republicans during the recession. maybe you shouldn't be changing things so quickly. both you and mitch got reelected

overwhelmingly. you had a great, great second term. you have governors today. pennsylvania and write your party of scott. you have john kasich and ohio. he's got a bunch of great -- others for not naming that a bunch of great reform governors and kings have choices, tackling policies they got elected to do. i absolutely predict they will be rewarded by voters. the take away from from louisiana election results was if you do the right thing, people see results in a growing economy and better schools, health care, whatever your priorities are. too often when republicans -- would last a majority in the house and senate. we could lose it for being conservative. we don't lose elections because of conservative principles. we don't communicate them all. i think we're true to principles we can show competent governance and will be rewarded and that's what happened in mississippi. the first time since